Farmers in the char areas of Kurigram are busy growing early potatoes alongside other rabi crops. On the wide sandbanks of the Dharla river they pump water with shallow machines to grow potatoes, and the green spread of potato leaves across the char looks like a promise of prosperity. This year higher prices of diesel, fertiliser, pesticide and labour have doubled costs, but farmers are happy because potato prices and yields are good.

According to the Kurigram district Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE), early potatoes are being grown on 500 hectares in the district's nine upazilas this year. Prices and yields look good, and farmers will profit if the weather stays favourable.

Abdul Hamid, a farmer of Holokhana union in Sadar upazila, said: "I have grown the Seven variety of potato on fallow land in the Dharla riverbed. It is an early variety that can be lifted 55 to 60 days after planting. A bigha yields 20-25 maunds. At present it is selling at Tk 80 to Tk 120 a kg."

Md Mokhlesur Rahman, a potato farmer of Kanthalbari union, said: "I have grown the early Seven variety on one bigha. The crop looks good, and I hope to get 25 maunds per bigha. Last year it cost Tk 65,000-70,000 per bigha. This year, with fuel, fertiliser and pesticide prices up, it will cost Tk 1 lakh per bigha."

Biplob Kumar Mohanta, deputy director of the Kurigram DAE, said: "Alongside other crops, farmers on the chars are busy with early potatoes this year. The district's potato target is 7,000 hectares, and so far early potatoes are being grown on 500 hectares. If the weather stays favourable, farmers will profit this season."

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.